


Love Like Fireworks

by allure000



Category: Digimon - All Media Types, Digimon Adventure tri.
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff, Yamachi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-28 15:42:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17790158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allure000/pseuds/allure000
Summary: At the dawn of what should be the most romantic day of the year, Taichi finds himself alone after getting into a fight with Yamato. Now it’s up to him to follow Yamato’s clues scattered throughout Odaiba and make it to the final meeting place in time to save what’s left of Valentine’s Day.This was written for the Yamachi Discord's Taichi x Yamato Secret Valentine's Event 2019





	Love Like Fireworks

**Author's Note:**

> This story is dedicated to Estelle/Hazelestelle. I hope you enjoy!

**Love Like Fireworks**

 

"Rise and shine, residents of Odaiba! The sun is bright, the weather is warming up, and conditions are perfect for this very special day. That's right, everyone, today is Valentine's Day! A day to spend with the love of your life or confess your feelings to the one you've been-"

 

_SLAM!_

 

Silence engulfed the room and Taichi's arm dropped from the radio alarm clock into the empty space next to him. Numbness sat heavy in his limbs and he closed his eyes against the light of the new morning.

 

A sigh escaped his lips and he wished desperately that he was nestled back into the unfeeling embrace of sleep. The room felt hollow and with a frown Taichi fisted the messy sheets, rolling over to bury his nose in the other pillow.

 

He breathed in the comforting and familiar scent, releasing a frustrated growl into the fluff as a swirl of emotions took over him again. With his wakefulness he was reminded of the anger, hurt, and exasperation that had lulled him to sleep. But those were the feelings of yesterday; this morning he was just longing.

 

Longing for things to be back the way they were.

 

Longing for this fight to be over.

 

Longing for _him_.

 

A small space heater whirred in the corner of the room as Taichi eventually withdrew from the blankets. It felt cold without another body present anyways. He snagged his mobile phone off the nightstand as he trudged to the bathroom, checking to see if Yamato had sent him any clues about where he had gone.

 

There were some messages; just not from the person he was wanted to speak to more than anything.

 

 

> _Takenouchi Sora_
> 
> _Did you remember to pick up the gift?_
> 
> _Delivered 08:34_

 

 

> _Tachikawa Mimi_
> 
> _Happy Hearts Day! <3 What do you two love birds have planned? _
> 
> _Delivered 08:59_

 

 

> _Kamiya Kari_
> 
> _Happy Valentine's day, Taichi! Make sure to call Mom._
> 
> _Delivered 09:15_

 

The most recent message caused Taichi to pull his toothbrush out of his mouth and pause.

 

 

> _Takaishi Takeru_
> 
> _Hey, is everything ok? I walked out of my room and Yamato is sleeping on my couch..._
> 
> _Delivered 09:23_

 

He re-read it ten times before snapping the phone shut and spitting the toothpaste into the sink basin.

 

Glancing up at his reflection, he grimaced at how drained he looked. Shadows haunted his eyes and his hair was more of a mess than usual.

 

"This is your fault, you idiot," He muttered at the man in the mirror. He avoided his own eyes while he rinsed out his mouth. The cold water against his face felt shocking but welcomed. His fingers snagged on tangles as he tried to tame the wild mess on top of his head.

 

In reality, he knew he wasn't solely to blame for the fight. But he was ready to shoulder all of the responsibility if it meant they could spend the day together like they originally planned.

 

He shook his head and sighed at his reflection. Regrettably the damage was already done and there wasn’t any use trying to change the past.

 

Walking out into their living room, Taichi's eyes immediately fell to the little pink slip of paper folded into a heart shape on the kitchen table.

 

He frowned. _Yamato must have forgotten to throw it away_ , he thought, heart squeezing painfully.

 

He walked to the fridge to pull out ingredients for breakfast. Occasionally he felt his gaze pulled towards the note but he fought the urge to look.

 

As he cooked he replayed moments from  the fight in his head, eyebrows furrowing at the memory. He couldn’t remember what all he had said at this point; it had all bubbled up out of him in the heat of the moment. But he was certain he had acted like an idiot and took it too far.

 

Taichi carried his hot breakfast to the table and made a point to sit as far from the folded heart as possible. As he ate, he stole cautious glances at it from the corner of his eye as if it was a firecracker preparing to explode as soon as he was distracted.

 

Where had the argument reached its grand finale? The catalyst was a blur now, like a memory in a dream. It wasn't totally unexpected; they had been getting along well for a while so they were due for an explosion. That's just how it worked between them.

 

Unfortunately, both young men had a god-like level of stubbornness and neither was keen on compromising. And now here they were.

 

Alone on Valentine's day.

 

Taichi set down his chopsticks and stared openly at the pink note, his food losing all its flavor on his tongue. _Why did it have to be today?_

 

He set his dishes in the sink and walked around the table to stand near the taunting pink piece of paper.

 

Heaving a heavy sigh, Taichi reluctantly reached out and plucked the note off the table, examining it closely. Yamato had been hinting about this scavenger hunt for weeks and Taichi knew he'd put a lot of thought into it.

 

_"Why are you so mad? We can just talk about it and come up with a solution-"_

 

_"I'm not explaining this to you again! You do this every single time. I'm sick of it!"_

 

Taichi’s heart squeezed tight, his breakfast sitting like a rock in his stomach. He was an idiot for adding fuel to Yamato’s fire and contributing to this mess. Worse than making his best friend and lover feel terrible on Valentine's day would probably be ignoring all the hard work he had put into this surprise...

 

Feeling resolved, Taichi began to delicately unfold the heart, careful not to tear it.

 

_Your first stop today_

_Is a special place to me_

_I had my first drink_

_And you admitted you can't sing_

 

Taichi re-read the note three times before stuffing it into his pocket and running to the front door. He fumbled for his jacket and keys, shoved his feet into his running shoes, and was out the door in record time.

 

\- - - - - - - - - - - -

 

The young athlete fought to catch his breath as he came to a halt at the karaoke bar where they had celebrated Yamato's twentieth birthday. It was unseasonably warm for February and Taichi felt sweat dampen the back of his shirt from his brisk run.

 

It was still relatively early in the day so the establishment was empty of guests. Staff walked around cleaning and preparing for the rush of group dates they would receive that evening. Taichi nodded a greeting towards the ones that made eye contact with him, but nobody stopped him as he descended the stairs to the private rooms below.

 

Nobody was in room A-012 when he approached, so he slid the door open without incident and let himself him. It smelled strongly of cleaning solution and was startlingly quiet without the karaoke machines operating. Taichi leaned heavily against the closed door as his eyes roamed the empty space, trying to remember exactly what had happened that evening. All of them had gathered there; even Jo had managed to take the evening off of his residency to join the festivities. The room was hot, colored lights flashing, laughter and drinks were shared by everyone...

 

_“Ok, next I’m going to sing ‘Down With Love’, are you all ready?”_

 

_“Mimi, you just did three songs in a row, it’s Koushiro’s turn!”_

 

_“Ah, n-no, it’s fine, she can take my spot this round.”_

 

_“Koushiro! You promised you would take a turn, now pick a song!”_

 

_Taichi snickered at his bickering friends and walked back to his seat with a bottle of alcohol and two shot glasses in his grasp. Sweat beaded along his hairline and neck, laughter bubbling up all around them. The atmosphere was enjoyable and relaxed and Taichi caught the clandestined smile of his best friend taking it all in. Whether it was the drinks or the excitement of being all together after several months apart, he felt like he was floating._

 

_The brunette flopped onto the cushioned seat next to Yamato and set the glasses on the low table. “Should we point out that Jo has also not gone yet, either?”_

 

_Yamato laughed loudly, almost drowned out by the loud thump of the transition music. “Let’s let him sweat a little more and then we can tell them.”_

 

_Taichi filled the shot glasses with a mysterious clear liquid and handed one to Yamato, holding his between them. “What should we toast to this time?”_

 

_The birthday boy turned  and Taichi noticed the pink flush splashed across his pale nose. The hazy thought of “cute” hovered in his mind for just a second before his thoughts were interrupted by Yamato’s response. “How about your full ride scholarship to study abroad next semester?”_

 

_Taichi winced, feeling his stomach churn uncomfortably. “No, this is_ your _birthday. It’s got to be about you.”_

 

_“What did you say?” Yamato said over the sound of a new song starting. A quick glance revealed Koushiro up at the mic, face beet red with embarrassment while everyone else shouted encouragement._

 

_Taichi leaned in close, misjudging the distance and bumping his lips against the shell of Yamato’s ear. He released a breathy laugh before repeating so the blond could hear. “It’s got to be about you.”_

 

_Yamato appeared to considered this, the corners of his lips turning down and his forehead creasing in thought. Taichi felt his face and neck warm at the sight, wondering if the alcohol was to blame for stealing his breath away so easily._

 

_A decisive expression came over Yamato’s face, relaxing his mouth and forehead. His breath skirted Taichi’s earlobe and despite the warmth of the room, he shivered. “Let’s cheers to us.”_

 

_“Us?”_

 

_“Yeah,” Yamato pulled his head back and smiled easily. “To another year of not killing each other.”_

 

_Taichi laughed and clinked their small glasses together, shooting the liquid and making a disgusted face at the taste. Yamato made the same face and both burst into more laughter, heads bent close together as the drink seeped into their bloodstreams._

 

_“What are you going to sing next?” Yamato asked as Koushiro’s forced performance came to an end and they were able to comfortably hear each other again._

 

_Taichi shrugged and refilled his shot glass. “I’ll just wing it, I can’t sing anyways.”_

 

_“It’s about time you admit it!” Hikari hollered from across the room, causing a chorus of whoops and cackles from the rest of the group._

 

_Taichi knocked back his shot and stood, rushing up to to the mic and tossing empty threats at the teasing group. As he negotiated which ballad he was going to blow them all away with, he caught Yamato’s smirking face and glinting blue eyes from the back of the room and it took Taichi a solid second longer to look away than it used to._

 

Voices from the hall pulled Taichi from the memory and he held his breath, hoping against hope that they wouldn’t enter.

 

Thankfully they passed by without incident and he breathed a sigh of relief. His memory from the rest of the night was fuzzy since he’d continued to drink into the faint hours of the morning. But that feeling of being so physically close to Yamato lingered on his skin and his fingers were tracing his ear at the fond memory.

 

Pushing away from the door, he started examining the room. First he checked the karaoke box, then the display screen, and all of the little bowls of mints on the low table.

 

It was when he finally started checking between the cushions that he found it. Another heart-shaped note identical to the one from the apartment.

 

A question crossed his mind, wondering if it was really ok for him to be completing this scavenger hunt when Yamato was clearly pissed off at him from last night. He hadn’t even tried to call to say where he ended up the night before…

 

Ultimately, his curiosity won and Taichi delicately unfolded the corners of the heart.

 

_We talked about the future_

_We reflected on the past_

_I was nervous, but found courage_

_And asked you to move in at last_

 

Taichi whispered the words and searched his memory until he could picture the exact time and place Yamato was referencing. He was still scrambling to stuff the note into his back pocket as he rushed out the doors of the karaoke room and headed outside.

 

\- - - - - - - - - - - -

 

The park was, unsurprisingly, full of couples. Taichi bitterly pulled up the collar of his medium weight coat, ducking his chin to half-hide his shamed expression. He felt embarrassed to be in the presence of so many couples who had managed to _not_ mess up the day of love for their significant others.

 

Thankfully, nobody was sitting at their bench when he arrived. He glanced around, daring to hope that perhaps Yamato was somewhere nearby... and ultimately just sank onto the hard wooden seat when no blond heads could be found.

 

_Now what?_ He wondered, watching couples holding hands and smiling lovingly at each other all around him.

 

He slouched in the seat, glowering at the replica of the Statue of Liberty out in the middle of the bay. Beyond her was the Rainbow bridge which tourists were snapping pictures of and posing cutely in front of all along the path. He felt his mood fizzle like a dud firecracker and he opted to stare at his shoes instead. He didn't want to see everyone else being so _happy_ and _getting along_ today. He was jealous.

 

There was no question in Taichi's mind why this bench was on the list in the Valentine’s day hunt. His mind drifted through a sea of memories and he willed the mental image of Yamato's scowling face from yesterday to transition instead to his slightly flushed expression from that special night...

 

" _Did you drink too much?"_

 

_Yamato smiled easily and laughed, "I don't think_ too _much but I’m glad we decided to walk instead of taking my scooter. What about you?"_

 

_Taichi bumped Yamato's shoulder and grinned. "I think our walk has helped. Maybe I ended up having a little too much at the bar."_

 

_The blond snorted. "A_ little _?"_

 

_Laughter faced in to companionable silence, the moon a bright backdrop in the night sky. The lights from Tokyo glittered across the bay and it was late enough that there weren't very many people out. The Statue of Liberty’s crown glowed like a beacon and behind her the beautiful colors of the rainbow from the bridge reached endlessly into the sky._

 

_"Karaoke was fun," Taichi said casually, grabbing Yamato's hand and tugging him towards an empty bench blanketed in darkness. They still had another fifteen minutes to walk before they would part ways and head to their respective apartments and he felt like he could use a break._

 

_Yamato followed without question or protest, squeezing Taichi's hand along the way._

 

_"You did more songs than usual," Yamato commented, before holding up an invisible microphone and doing his best imitation of Taichi's sloppy belting._

 

_Taichi laughed at the mockery, pushing Yamato's hands down into the blond's lap as_ _if cutting the invisible microphone off. "I didn't sound that bad. You're just worried that I'm going to take over your spot in the band."_

 

_"Ha! Yeah right."_

 

_"Laugh all you want, but you know your bandmates love me."_

 

_Yamato's smile softened and he looked down at their hands, still tangled in his lap. "Yeah," he said, tone softening. "Listen, Tai-"_

 

_Taichi grimaced, knowing where this was going. "You don't have to-"_

 

_"I need to," Yamato stated firmly. His blue eyes refracted a bit of the sidewalk lamp light and the intensity of his gaze caused Taichi’s objections to evaporate off his tongue. "I think you should go. It's too good of an opportunity for you to pass up."_

 

_"But-"_

 

_"_ No _, listen. You love soccer and you've been dreaming of an opportunity like this for years. You have to go."_

 

_Taichi's throat tightened along with his grip on Yamato's hands. He frowned. "But... A whole semester?"_

 

_"We were gone longer than that in the Digiworld. You can't tell me it's because you can't handle being away from home."_

 

_"It's not... that..." Taichi furrowed his brows, emotion unexpectedly welling up inside of him._

 

_"Then what is it?"_

 

_Brown eyes locked on blue and Taichi saw Yamato's firm expression melt into something else. The brunette's voice was strained, knuckles white. "I’ve never been away… you know…_ alone.”

 

_Taichi felt a firm hand on the curve of his shoulder and he averted his eyes before Yamato could see them glisten. "Tai-"_

 

_He clenched his jaw before cutting Yamato off. "There’s always been someone with me. Hikari or you or Agumon. I don’t think I ca-”_

 

_"We're not kids anymore, Taichi. I think you can handle it alone."_

 

_"But I think I need you."_

 

_The words hung in the air like smoke after the finale of the summer festival and Taichi saw Yamato's face morph from surprised to confused to something softer. Taichi lowered his head, staring at their hands, embarrassment flushing his face and ears. “The more I think about it, the more clear it is to me that I can only do things like that when you’re there too.”_

 

_Taichi felt a tug on his shoulder and then he was enveloped in Yamato's arms. The brunette immediately returned the embrace, gripping the fabric of the blond's shirt tightly. Dizziness made his vision swim and he closed his eyes against it. He breathed the other man in._

 

_"Taichi," Yamato murmured, breath ghosting across Taichi's earlobe and eliciting an eruption of goose bumps on his neck. "I'll be here when you get back. We’ll talk on the phone, we can do video calls, anything you want. I know you can do this. You need to go."_

 

_Taichi buried his face into Yamato's shoulder at those words, fighting back the lump forming in his throat and emotions surging through his body. Yamato squeezed tighter, pressing the air from Taichi’s lungs. “Will you go?”_

 

_He swallowed painfully. But he nodded, knowing the blond would feel it even though he couldn’t see._

 

_“Good.” Yamato patted Taichi’s back firmly. “And when you get back, will you do me a favor?”_

 

_Taichi nodded again, too lost in the comfort of the embrace and embarrassed at how broken his voice would sound if he tried to speak. He didn’t often become so emotional, though if it was going to happen he’d rather it be in front of Yamato than anyone else._

 

_Yamato’s request sent a jolt through his soul and he swore for a moment that he forgot how to breathe._

 

_“Let’s live together.”_

 

Taichi opened his eyes, the memory fading back to present day. A few weeks after that night he had boarded a plane and left for Madrid, speaking sloppy Spanish and playing with some of the best young soccer athletes in the region.

 

True to his word, Yamato had called him regularly, often at the expense of some sleep, and Taichi had been able to enjoy himself. But his favorite part was coming home and meeting his family and Yamato at the airport then promptly moving into their two-bedroom flat near the university.

 

His thoughts were interrupted at the familiar vibration of an incoming call. Fishing his phone from his pocket, he checked the caller ID and connected.

  
“Why haven’t you called Mom?”

 

“Hello to you, too,” Taichi responded sarcastically to his sister. Just then cheers from a small crowd drew his attention to the center of the park. At the sight of a man down on one knee and a woman with her hands clasped over her mouth Taichi unconsciously mumbled, “You have got to be kidding me…”

 

“Are you outside? What’s happening?”

 

Taichi rolled his eyes, looking away from the spectacle to return to his miserable bubble on his lonely bench. “It’s a nice day so I decided to go for a walk.”

 

There was a pause and Taichi knew what was coming before the words left Hikari’s mouth. “Did you and Yamato have a fight?”

 

“No.”

 

“That’s not what Takeru said.”

 

Taichi groaned and rubbed his eyes. He felt like he was going crazy. “You talked to Takeru?”

 

“He called me to asked if I had seen you. I have a feeling Yamato was the one really asking, but I told them I hadn’t heard from you today.”

 

“Great…”

 

“Taichi,” her voice softened. “How could you fight with him on _Valentine’s Day_ of all days?”

 

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

 

“I’m sure you two will work it out, but couldn’t you try to be a little more giving on this special occasion?”

 

“Did you call me just to harass me about something that isn’t any of your business?” The words were harsh, he knew, but he couldn’t control the surge of emotion manipulating his voice.

 

“No, I called you to harass you to call mom and threw this in as a bonus.”

 

“I’m hanging up now.”

 

“Ok. Apologize to Yamato. Call mom.”

 

Taichi looked blankly at his phone screen, the instructions to _apologize to Yamato_ floating around his head. What made Hikari assume _he_ was the one who needed to do the apologizing?

 

She wasn’t _wrong_ , but the assumption burned him more than what he wanted to admit.

 

Taichi released a heavy sigh and glanced at the empty spot next to him on the bench, pretending for a second that a familiar warm body was there instead. But that’s all it took for him to finally spot it.

 

The tiny corner of something pink poking up between the slates of the bench.

 

Eyes widening, Taichi reached for it and pulled out another heart-shaped note. He hurried to unfold it.

 

In Yamato's neat handwriting, Taichi read the short poem.

 

_On the ides after the solstice_

_So much warmth you will feel_

_You'll find your next clue_

_Near the entrance of The Wheel_

 

Taichi stood and walked down to the path, merging with the rest of the pedestrians. As he was swept along, he connected another call.

 

“Happy Valentine’s day, Mom.”

 

The conversation moved quickly, Taichi confirming that he was eating well and yes, he was doing his laundry regularly. Yes, Yamato was doing fine too. No, he wasn’t making Yamato do all of the housework.

 

When the question of what his lunch plans were came up, his stomach responded with a low rumble and he found himself quickly agreeing to plans and changing course.

 

He would just need to make it fast so he could get back to the scavenger hunt where, he was hoping, Yamato would be waiting for him at the end.

 

\- - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Lunch with his mother lasted for about an hour and a half and while he now felt full and invigorated, the anxiousness of losing that time twisted his stomach into knots.

 

The walkway leading to the ferris wheel was empty since the attraction was closed for the winter. Taichi took the moment of isolation as a nice break of being caught up in the throng of couples out and about on the beautiful February day.

 

He came to a stop outside the gate of the vacant ferris wheel ride and tipped his head back to look to the top. He’d hardly been able to wrap his head around where to begin looking for the next clue when the phone clutched in his hand started vibrating again.

 

“Hello?” He answered tiredly.

 

“Taichi,” Mimi’s sweet voice filtered through the speaker. “You fought with Yamato? On Valentine’s Day?”

 

Taichi groaned. “How do you know about that?”

 

“Yamato texted me. You know he worked hard on that scavenger hunt.”

 

Once again, Taichi couldn’t keep the harshness from his tone. “Not that it’s any of your business but I’m _doing_ the scavenger hunt. Right now, actually.”

 

“Which stop are you at?”

 

Just then the edge of a little pink heart fluttering in the breeze drew Taichi’s attention. It was close to the attendant’s booth where you purchase your tickets and the paper was being pinched tightly between the chain link fencing. “The ferris wheel.”

 

He perked up when he heard a muffled sound as if she was covering up the receiver to speak to someone else

 

Growing suspicious, Taichi asked, “Who are you talking to?”

 

“No one. Just my stomach grumbling. Talk to you later, Bye!”

 

“Wait, Mimi, are you with Yam-”

 

He heard the click of the call ending and swore in frustration.

 

Holding the note between his finger tips, the brunette stared hard at it. Part of him wished Yamato would call off the hunt and meet him back home so they could talk through everything and Taichi could apologize properly. But another part of him felt that if he could just get to the end it would help make everything better and the next steps would be more clear.

 

Who was he kidding? Maybe Yamato was mad enough that he wouldn’t even meet him at the end anyways… He’d end up a pathetic loser who couldn’t even get along with his own boyfriend on the most romantic day of the year.

 

Brown eyes traveled to the ferris wheel once more, considering how they had resolved many arguments by being hoisted high into the sky on this ride. From the top their problems always seemed miniscule and they could admire the view while making amends. Floating high in the sky like that reminded Taichi why their relationship was so colorful and special.

 

Rather than opening the note, Taichi ended up walking along the boardwalk, eyes on his feet, mind lost in the events from the evening before. He’d been pushing the memory back all day but it was forcing its way up, back to the surface, crawling under his skin and making the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.

 

_Taichi paused his game when he felt something flutter against his shoulder. Tipping his head back to look at Yamato’s grinning face he returned the happy smile and took the flier. “What’s this?”_

 

_“The advertisement for our upcoming gig at the Cicero Theatre.”_

 

_Taichi gasped and spun around, eyes wide. “You booked the Cicero? You’ve been trying to get in there for two years!”_

 

_Yamato rested against the arm of the sofa, smiling brightly. “They had a last minute cancellation for next weekend so they called us.”_

 

_At the mention of the date, Taichi’s brows furrowed and he looked up at the ceiling, grasping for a memory. “Next weekend? I think… Oh, that’s the semi-finals at the rec league. What time are you playing?”_

 

_Yamato’s blue eyes lost a bit of their spark. “Seven-twenty-five on Saturday… When do you play?”_

 

_“Six-thirty… Saturday...” Taichi answered with a frown. “Man, that’s cutting it really close. Guess I might be able to catch the last part of it as long as we don’t go into overtime.”_

 

_As soon as the words left his mouth and he saw the way Yamato’s eyes darkened, Taichi knew he should have put more thought into his statement._

 

_“What do you mean? You’re going to come no matter what, right?”_

 

_“Yamato,” Taichi started, trying to lighten his tone. “You know the team can’t function without me! I’m their most important player, I can’t just abandon them during the semi-finals. We’ve worked really hard to-”_

 

_Yamato abruptly stood and left the living room. Taichi swore under his breath, tossing the controlling to side and following. “Hey, Yamato, let’s talk about this!”_

 

_Yamato spun around in the hallway right outside their shared bedroom, face pinched with anger. “There’s nothing to talk about. You’ve made pretty clear what is more important to you and the fact that I’m going to be playing at a venue which, up to this point, has only been a dream of mine means absolutely nothing to you.”_

 

_The weight of the accusation pressed against Taichi’s chest. And though one part of his brain was telling him to apologize and promise to attend the performance, the other- must worse and louder- side of him narrowed his brown eyes and he was responding before he had time to think. “Oh yeah? What about_ my _dream? You saw how awful my team was at the beginning of the season and they’ve come a long way! I’ve worked my ass off for six months to get us where we are and this is our chance to really prove to everyone-”_

 

_“But your tournament doesn’t really_ mean _anything!”_

 

_Taichi’s jaw dropped in shock before he ground his teeth together and retaliated. “And what? This one performance does? You think everything’s going to take off for you just because you’re a_ substitute _band at the Cicero?”_

 

_He knew his words stung and he only had a single second of satisfaction before regret seeped in through every pore of his being. The blue eyes staring back at him glistened with tears that refused to fall and Yamato’s hands balled into fists at his sides. His cheeks flushed and Taichi desperately wished to reach out into the atmosphere and pull the words back into his mouth before they explode in a spectacular disaster._

 

_But true to form, Taichi decided to make the situation worse instead._

 

_"Why are you so mad? We can just talk about it and come up with a solution-"_

 

_"I'm not explaining this to you again! You do this every single time. I'm sick of it!"_

 

_Taichi took a step forward which Yamato matched by taking a step back, leaning against the bedroom door. He felt the rumble of everything escalating out of control, like a rocket getting ready for take-off. It was almost like he could feel the countdown beginning. “Every single time? What is that supposed to mean?”_

 

_Three..._

 

_“Every time our schedules conflict because of your stupid rec league, you diminish my accomplishments with the band.”_

 

_Two..._

 

_“Ah HA!” Taichi stepped up right up to Yamato, leaving mere centimeters between their faces. Hot, angry breaths mingled in the space between and Taichi poked the other boy’s chest accusingly. “You_ do _think it’s stupid! I knew it.”_

 

_One._

 

_Yamato shoved his boyfriend away, hard enough make the brunette hit his back against the opposite wall of the hallway. “It’s just for fun. My music career is my passion-”_

 

_“Soccer is_ my _passion, why is your’s more important-”_

 

_“Soccer is a hobby for you, you can literally do it any day of the week and be happy!”_

 

_“Like you can’t just pick up a guitar and play something anytime you want?! There is no difference!”_

 

_“There_ is _a difference! I want to actually make it in the music industry and you just want to go off and play with your friends who you obviously like to be around more than me!”_

 

_Taichi laughed harshly and reached out to grab the collar of Yamato’s shirt, feeling his own face hot with outrage. Heart pounding like flash bomb explosions in the sky, he fought every instinct telling him to haul off and cuff the blond for his hurtful words. Yamato responded by snatching up fistfulls of Taichi’s shirt, more tears resting against his lower eyelashes and teeth bared threateningly._

 

_They held each other hostage for several moments, breaths and bodies quivering. Yamato was the first to move, giving Taichi an aggressive push so that his back thudded against the wall again. “Forget it. Do what you want, I don’t care,” he said, averting his blue eyes and walking to the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him._

  
  


Taichi stopped walking and pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes, trying to even out his breathing. Why did he always refuse to think before he spoke? Why did he always take the bait and escalate their arguments into full blown fights when all he needed to do was take into account Yamato’s feelings?

 

Yamato was sensitive and Taichi was an idiot. The combination was like fire and gunpowder.

 

_What does he even like about me?_ Taichi wondered, feeling hot tears gathering behind his eyelids. He spent several minutes trying to catch up with his emotions, forcing himself to take deep breaths and get under control. His throat ached and he was momentarily tempted to go straight to Mimi’s apartment- where he was certain Yamato was hiding out- and gather the blond into his arms with breathless apologies.

 

His phone vibrated twice in his pocket, signalling a new message.

 

Sniffling, he blinked away the tears and flipped the device open.

 

 

> _Tachikawa Mimi_
> 
> _Keep at it, Taichi! He’ll be there at the end. I’ll make sure of it._
> 
> _Delivered 14:14_

 

Relief flooded his body and he silently made a promise to find a way to repay Mimi. With a new determination, he swallowed down the longing and unfolded the next clue.

 

_I confessed the truth_

_I thought you would leave_

_But you held me tighter_

_And I could finally breathe_

 

Taichi felt his cheeks flush red but his body was turning, feet leading him in the direction he knew was right. He was in the middle of calculating the fastest route when he felt the shake of his phone once again.

 

 

> _Takenouchi Sora_
> 
> _Did you remember to pick up the gift this morning?_
> 
> _Delivered 14:16_

 

A swear slipped out from under his breath and the athletic brunette turned in a new direction. He’d already made a complete mess of this Valentine’s day… he wasn’t about to forget Yamato’s gift on top of it all.

 

One train ride later, Taichi found himself on the mainland walking down a side street absolutely littered with heart dorcations and vendors selling flowers, candies, teddy bears and an assortment of other cutesy gifts for the holiday.

 

The bell overhead jingled when he pushed through the front door of one particular small shop. Behind a counter along the far wall a middle-aged man sat with a magnifying glass over one eye and the tip of his tongue pressed into the corner of his mouth as he concentrated on polishing a piece of jewelry.

 

The shop owner looked up as Taichi approached the counter and smiled brightly. “I was just getting ready to call to make sure you didn’t forget.”

 

Taichi forced a polite smile. “Thanks for waiting for me. Is it ready?”

 

The older man feigned hurt and rolled backwards in his swivel chair to pluck something off of the recessed bar behind the counter. “Is it ready? What do you take me for?” He set the small box down and opened it for Taichi to inspect. “Well? What do you think?”

 

Taichi couldn’t help it. His brown eyes glistened and he swallowed past the lump forming in his throat. “Perfect. Thank you, Mr. Nakamura.”

 

The shopkeeper watched the younger man for several moments before finally breaking through the heavy silence. “Everything ok, Taichi?”

 

“Hm?” Taichi looked up and forced another smile. “Oh, yeah. Everything’s fine. Well, it will be… I think anyways.” He took a deep breath to help clear up the moisture from his vision and reached out to take the small box. “Thanks again, Mr. Nakamura. I’ll see you around!”

 

Nakamura smiled affectionately as he watched the young man turn and leave, shaking off the worry and repositioning the magnifying glass on his eye to resume the treatment of the diamond.

 

Outside, Taichi gripped the small box tightly in his pocket and walked as fast as he could towards the train station, determination shining in his eyes.

 

\- - - - - - - - - - - -

 

It felt like hours before Taichi was finally back in Odaiba and worry tugged at his heart. He knew that if he had picked up the present last week he wouldn’t be so pressed for time now; but he was worried about Yamato finding it too soon.

 

It was nearly 4:30 p.m. when he slowed to a walk near the restaurant where Yamato had been working for the past five years. It was a place that started off as a part-time job during university but as Yamato had been trying to focus on his music career after graduation, he’d kept the job for a steady source of income.

 

The sun was hanging lower in the west and the alley on one side of the restaurant was already encased in shadows. He nearly jumped out of his skin when a voice suddenly called to him.

 

“Oi, Taichi!” The restaurant manager waved with a smile. “What brings you here today?”

 

“Ah,” Taichi looked around the alley, hoping beyond hope that Yamato was somewhere nearby. Unfortunately it appeared the only one present was the older manager dropping off a garbage bag in one of the dumpsters. “I was just looking for Yamato. Have you seen him?”

 

The manager squinted and looked up, lost in thought. But ultimately he shook his head. “No, I’m afraid not. He asked for today off, I actually assumed he would be with you.”

 

“We’re meeting up later,” Taichi assured with a forced smile. “Thanks, Mr. Uematsu!”

 

“Take care!” The manager waved again before disappearing back into the building through the “employees only” side door.

 

Alone now amongst the dumpsters, Taichi threw his gaze around looking for the exact spot where their life-changing fight had taken place. He was losing light in the day and was a little worried he wouldn’t be able to see through the shadows to find the next clue.

 

He weaved through the trash receptacles, ignoring the old-food smell. He hadn’t been back to this spot since The Fight four years ago. It wasn’t a fight like their other ones. That specific encounter years ago had been more… physical and emotional.

 

_“Yamato, STOP!”_

 

_“Let me go!”_

 

_“No! You have to calm down!”_

 

_Yamato struggled against the hands holding him back, shoving and kicking at Taichi’s restraining arms. One particularly well timed shot clipped Taichi in the chin and in response, Taichi threw the blond against the alley wall with all his strength._

 

_Yamato gasped as the air evacuated his lungs, shock visible on his face. In the shadows of the tall buildings surrounding them, both young men breathed hard, fists balled and ready for more. As soon as he found his breath, Yamato attempted to lunge past Taichi, teeth bared. “I can’t let him walk away.”_

 

_“Yamato,” Taichi widened his stance, eyes narrowed in determination. “They’re already taking care of it inside. That worker will definitely be fired. There’s nothing you can d-”_

 

_“Don’t give me that line!” Yamato aggressively reached for the collar of Taichi’s shirt and pulled him threateningly close. “He can’t say those things to me and just walk away without a scratch!”_

 

_From his new close proximity, Taichi saw the tears shining in Yamato’s blue eyes. His own brown orbs widened for just a moment in shock before he set his lips in a decisive line. “What did he say to you?”_

 

_Yamato’s mouth snapped shut and he turned his gaze away, releasing his hold on Taichi’s shirt. The brunette could see the other man working the muscle in his jaw as he fought the storm in his head._

 

_Taichi took a deep breath and placed a hand on the other’s shoulder. “Yamato…”_

 

_Yamato slapped the hand away, stepping forward with the obvious intention to walking around Taichi and returning to the restaurant._

 

_He didn’t get far before both hands were back on Yamato’s shoulders and Taichi was shoving him hard into the wall, holding him tightly in place against the cold brick. “Don’t walk away from me!” Face mere centimeters from Yamato’s, Taichi saw tears sitting precariously on blond lashes. “Yamato,” he forced his voice lower, softer, serious. “What did he say?”_

 

_Silence._

 

_“You can tell me.”_

 

_Blue eyes met brown, eyebrows furrowed with anger and heightened emotion. But a tear escaped despite his struggle and Taichi felt himself fall apart at the sight of it slipping down Yamato’s fair cheek._

 

_“He called me a filthy queer,” Yamato whispered, eyes lowering as he bowed his head to hide his face._

 

_The words rebounded in Taichi’s head like an explosion in a cave. He felt frozen, hands gripping Yamato’s shoulders tightly to the point where he was losing blood flow to his fingers. Through the firm hold he could feel the moment the tears broke forth and the blond’s body started to rack with silent sobs._

 

_“Yamato,” Taichi grappled for anything to help him get a grip on this situation. “Yamato, it doesn’t matter what he thinks. He’s a moron and you’re not-”_

 

_“I might be,” Yamato choked out._

 

_Taichi’s heart stopped._

 

_It took several seconds for the words to fully sink in. “... What?”_

 

_Yamato sank against the wall, giving up on his struggle to get past his best friend. He kept his head bowed so Taichi couldn’t see his face. “I’ve been thinking for… a long time.” He laughed emptily, the sound turning Taichi’s stomach. “I… I might be.”_

 

_Taichi felt his heart start again, now racing a thousand beats per minute. He sensed Yamato losing his balance as the sobs gave way to hyperventilation and in a moment of desperation, Taichi closed the miniscule gap between them, pulling the blond into his arms and holding him tightly._

 

_This was all Yamato needed to give up on trying to hold himself together, burying his face into Taichi’s warm neck, arms encircling his back and grasping tightly. Taichi felt the tears slide across his skin and his own tears pricked his brown eyes in response. Tangling his fingers into the silky blond hair, Taichi turned his head and murmured into the other man’s ear the only words he could think to say. “It’s ok, Yamato. It’s ok…”_

 

_“You’ll hate me,” Yamato hissed, fisting Taichi’s shirt tightly._

 

_Taichi ground his teeth together, a powerful wave of emotion blossoming in his chest. He forced Yamato’s head back and pressed their foreheads together, looking seriously into red-rimmed blue eyes. “I won’t.”_

 

_Yamato’s face was pinched, mouth quivering. The uncertainty in his eyes was beyond anything Taichi had ever seen before. “You will.”_

 

_Taichi shook his head, one time, confident. “I can’t.”_

 

_Probably out of pure surprise, Yamato finally locked eyes with the brunette, his quaking sobs freezing in his throat at the sheer tenacity of the gaze._

 

_Time slowed, or froze all together. The sound of traffic buzzing from the main road was lost to the night and Taichi didn’t waver his gaze even as he became painfully aware of their breath intermingling in the small space between their faces and how his body was pressed fully against Yamato’s in order to pin him to the wall._

 

_Breathless, head spinning,Taichi’s tongue darted out to moisten his suddenly dry lips._

 

_Yamato’s blue eyes darted down, for just a fraction of a second, catching the movement._

 

_That was all it took._

 

_Their mouths met and neither knew who started it. Both froze at the initial contact but then Taichi was pushing Yamato further against the wall and there was an urgency in the way they kissed and like a puzzle which they had been working on for years, everything clicked together and things suddenly made sense in a way they never had before._

 

_What felt like the longest burning fuse in his life finally connected with the bursting charge and a bright flash of fireworks filled his mind in what was the most magnificent display he’d ever seen. And his life was changed._

  
  


Taichi slowly opened his eyes.

 

That night had truly changed everything. They’d gone home shortly after without saying a word and slept on the couch. The next day at the top of the ferris wheel they confessed their feelings that had been burning with no name for years.

 

Without realizing, a lone tear had fallen down his cold cheek and he pushed himself away from the wall and turned to examine every little crack in the cold brick. Frustrated, he pulled out the flashlight on his phone to assist in the search.

 

There, barely visible, he saw the pink heart peeking out through a crevice between bricks.

 

Blinking rapidly to clear the emotion that had welled up in his eyes, he unfolded the final message.

 

_Roses are red_

_Violets are blue_

_I’m so happy I get to go_

_On this journey with you_

 

_The night will light up_

_Everyone’s in love, it seems_

_I can’t wait to see you_

_At the Bridge of Dreams_

 

\- - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Night was just taking hold of the city when Taichi came upon the huge crowd gathered at Yume no Hashi. His eyes darted here and there, frantic to find who he was looking for. He lifted himself to the tips of his toes to attempt to look over the heads of all the couples and families, but he struggled to make any progress.

 

As politely and hurriedly as he could, he shouldered his way through the crowd to get to the middle of the bridge. The air buzzed with anticipation and conversation and Taichi felt his heart clench. As fit as he was, his legs burned from running around the city all day and he was quickly losing his breath.

 

Frustrated and tired he made a line towards a lamp post in the middle of the bridge walkway. Using the last bit of his strength, he pulled himself up, ignoring the gasps from those close by at his delinquent behavior.

 

His breath came out in a fog above the crowd and he was vaguely aware that his fingers were beginning to freeze. With the darkness of night creeping over the sky, he was reminded that it was still winter despite the nice temperature that day and he should have packed some gloves.

 

But before he could think further on it, Taichi spotted him. Blond hair peeking out from under a black beanie, blue eyes scanning the crowd. Relief flooded his body and the words were tumbling out before he could think. “Yamato! Over here!”

 

Yamato turned, looking around the crowd for several seconds before finally resting on the brunette hovering above on the light post. His blue eyes widened for just a moment but then he was on the move and Taichi was jumping down from his perch to meet him halfway.

 

The lights on the bridge began to dim and an excited murmur rippled through the audience. Taichi felt his heart drop at not being able to see where he was going, but he kept pushing forward regardless.

 

A small gap appeared in the crowd and there, at last, directly across from him, stood Yamato, the love of his life. The blue eyed boy was panting lightly, clearly out of breath and his eyes softened. He opened his mouth to say something but Taichi didn’t give him a chance; Instead, he threw his arms around Yamato’s shoulders and buried his face into the other boy’s warm neck as he heard the first set of fireworks shoot off across the bay.

 

Yamato returned the embrace, holding him impossibly tight. His voice wavered slightly in Taichi’s ear. “I’m sorry.”

 

“No, I’m sorry,” Taichi quickly responded, his body flooding with warmth inside and out. But before they could talk further, Yamato was pulling away. Taichi protested at the lost contact but clung to Yamato’s hand as he was tugged along through the dense crowd.

 

No one paid them any mind, too engrossed in the colorful explosions from the lightning display above. Taichi barely noticed the burst of colors, too focused on Yamato’s back and hand which he squeezed tighter. The feeling was like soaring and he thought if he kept going he would explode in a fiery blast like the fireworks above them.

 

Yamato led them off the bridge, walking down the pathway several meters until they reached a narrow set of stairs. They carefully climbed down, the atmosphere colder near the rushing water from Tokyo Bay. But Taichi barely noticed.

 

Shrouded in the darkness below the bridge, the bangs and shots of the fireworks echoed impossibly loud around them, making this the most un-ideal place to be during the show.

 

Which meant they were alone.

 

Once safely secluded, Yamato pulled him back into a tight embrace, warm lips pressing against Taichi’s and the message was clear.

 

Remorse. Love. Forgiveness.

 

When they broke for air, Taichi rushed to talk between the shots of the fireworks, bowing his head against Yamato’s and clutching his jacket desperately. “I was an idiot.”

 

“No, I was a jerk and you’re not an idiot.”

 

“I am,” Taichi insisted, frustrated and in love all at once. Above them, the crowd _oohed_ and _awwed_ at the show and Taichi saw reflections from the bursting chorus shining in the water directly below them. “My stupid soccer hobby doesn’t compare to your dream. I was so insensitive…”

 

He felt soft warm lips touch his temple and Yamato pulled him closer still. “It’s not a stupid hobby. It’s important to you and I’m an asshole for suggesting that it doesn’t matter. I’m so sorry, Taichi…”

 

For several minutes they stood in silence, feeling the breath of the other against their skin and their world exploding with colors and sound. They exchanged chaste kisses against cheeks, jaws, and foreheads. Hands grappled but could never get enough purchase on the other person’s clothing.

 

Finally, after what seemed like a decade, Taichi pulled away just enough to see Yamato’s flushed face. He brushed away the frozen tears with his thumbs and rested their foreheads together. “I did your scavenger hunt.”

 

Yamato finally cracked a small smile and his soft laugh filled Taichi was a joy he couldn’t begin to explain. “Mimi told me.”

 

“I knew it.”

 

“Did you like it?”

 

“Are you kidding me?” Taichi grinned brightly and he felt the despair he’d been carrying around the entire day fall away like the residual flares from a bright explosion in the sky. “I got to exercise AND visit our special spots. It was a win-win.”

 

A comfortable silence filled the space around them, interrupted only as the finale of the display began. They both turned to look, catching the end of the yearly spectacle. Cheers erupted from the crowd above as the last heart-shaped explosion lit up the night sky.

 

“Let’s go home,” Yamato murmured into Taichi’s ear. “It’s cold out here. Where are your gloves?”

 

On their way back to the apartment, they talked softly and the relief of the normalcy overwhelmed Taichi’s being. They stopped at their favorite convenience store to pick up Taichi’s favorite chicken dish and Yamato’s favorite drinks for dinner. By the time they closed the front door of their small apartment behind them, they were sufficiently frozen and ready to warm up with good food and a romantic comedy.

 

As Taichi tossed his jacket over a chair in the kitchen, a small box fell out of the pocket and went clattering to the floor. Swallowing hard, he picked it up and examined it, jumping a little when Yamato, unaware, announced he was going to freshen up in the bathroom.

 

When he heard the door shut, Taichi exhaled the breath he had been holding. “Ok Taichi, you’ve got this. You already know the answer so there’s nothing to freak out about.”

 

Regardless of his personal pep talk he found himself pacing nervously, heart in his throat. His blood dropped to his feet when he heard Yamato open the bathroom door and approach him in the living room. Quickly, he turned to face the blond, hiding the box behind his back.

 

“Did you pick out a movie?” Yamato looked stunning standing there, body relaxed after their emotional reunion though he did arch an eyebrow at his pale boyfriend questioningly. “Are you ok?”

 

“Uh,” the words caught in his suddenly parched throat. “Do you want a drink?”

 

Yamato crossed his arms, looking suspicious. “You’re acting strange.”

 

“I’m just… Hungry! Yes, I’m hungry. Where’s the chicken?”

 

The amused grin on Yamato’s lips made Taichi’s stomach tighten into impossibly tight knots. “No, when you’re hungry you whine. You’re acting… suspicious.”

 

_Ok_ , Taichi mentally prepared himself. _Here we go._

 

“Yamato.”

 

The sudden seriousness in his tone caught the blond’s attention and he perked up, alert.

 

_Deep breath. Final countdown. Go._

 

“We’ve been together for a long time.” He swallowed past the lump in his throat as he watched Yamato’s facial expression shift into curiosity. “We’ve been through everything together. And I know I would not have survived half the adventures if it wasn’t for you being there as well.”

 

_Three…_

 

“Taichi…”

 

With brown eyes shining, he took a step closer and pulled the box out from behind his back. He watched blue eyes dart down at it and widen before coming back up to lock on Taichi’s.

 

_Two..._

 

“Yamato. I know the world may not accept us as a couple yet. But I love you and it would mean the world to me if you would wear this until it does.”

 

_One._

 

Yamato took the box and opened it while Taichi watched, breathless. He stared with glassy blue eyes at the matching set of titanium rings nestled in a row amongst a velvet cradle. Wordlessly Yamato withdrew the rings and slipped one onto his left hand before pulling Taichi’s left hand to his chest and doing the same.

 

Taichi wiped away the lone tear sliding down Yamato’s cheek. Seeing the ring on the love of his life’s hand sent a flutter through his chest and he broke into an ecstatic smile, throwing his arms around Yamato’s neck and pulling him close.

 

Their fight from twenty-four hours prior long forgotten, Taichi thought about how funny it was how much their relationship was like fireworks; a long burning fuse leading to an inevitable explosion which propels them along at the speed of sound. It would eventually climax in a moment of truce when they would runite and remember the colorful beauty that is their love and passion for each other. Then all the other unnecessary parts fall away and disappear until it’s just the two of them, in love, once again.

 

It was a crazy ride and maybe other couples wouldn’t be able to handle the ups and downs as well as they could. But Taichi knew those were the parts that made them indestructible. And as Yamato wrapped them up tightly in a soft blanket and began the movie, Taichi brushed Yamato’s blond hair out of his eyes and realized he wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

\- - - - end - - - -

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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